Businesses glad to see floodgates coming down

When city crews arrived Friday morning to begin dismantling the floodgate on Second Street in downtown Portsmouth, Michael Kehoe probably wanted to give a cheer (and may have even done so).

For 50 years, Kehoe’s family has owned and operated the Bridge Carryout at 201 Second St. Since the floodgate went up almost two weeks ago, he has essentially been out of business.

“We’re locked up,” Kehoe said before the floodgate was reopened. “There is no access to the building at all.”

He added that he has had no receipts for two weeks.

“I’m not going to close up shop, but it’s definitely hurt me,” Kehoe said, adding that as soon as the gate is gone, he’ll be back open for business.

Kehoe likes to refer to his carryout as the “oldest and coldest” carryout in Portsmouth. He said his father bought the business in about 1968, and while he has never been able to determine the exact date, Kehoe believes the store dates to sometime in the 1950s.

Scott Leeth, Portsmouth assistant to the city manager, said Thursday that Kehoe was in contact with the city almost every day since the gate went up. Kehoe said, in fact, he had contacted the city numerous times and reported officials were polite and always willing to talk to him. Kehoe added that, while this is his slow time of year, he no doubt will be very happy to be back up and running.